Knee bayonet



A. CLEMENS KNEE BAYONET azz, 12, 154

2 Sheets-Shec. 1

Filed April 28, 1952 ATTORNEYJ.

Jan 12, 1954 A. CLEMENS KNEE BAYONET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, 1952 IN VEN TOR ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES FATE T EE'EQE KNEE BAYONET Albert Clemens, Louisville, Ky.

Application April 28, 1952, Serial No. 284,750

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a knee bayonet for use as a defensive weapon in armed combat.

An object of the invention is to provide a knee bayonet and supporting member which may be worn with comfort by a soldier, the bayonet being quickly adjustable from an inoperative position into an operative position. An object is to provide a knee bayonet mounted upon a shin guard which may be strapped to the lower leg, the bayonet being movable from a lower inoperative position along the shin guard into an operative position in which it forms a substantially rigid extension of the shin guard. Other objects are to provide knee bayonets of the characteristics stated in which the bayonet is spring-projected into operative position and is automatically retained against inadvertent return movement.

These and other objects and the advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevations of a knee bayonet and its supporting structure embodying the invention, and showing the bayonet in inoperative and operative positions respectively;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side and front elevations respectively of the knee bayonet and supporting structure on a larger scale, and showing the bayonet in inoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section showing the bayonet in operative position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4 and showing the latch for retaining the bayonet in inoperative position;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, with parts in section, of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section on line 3-8 of Fig. 7;

Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively a front and a side elevation of another embodiment of the invention showing the bayonet respectively in its operative and inoperative positions;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the bayonet and support shown in Figs. 9 and 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the lock and pivot mechanism for holding the bayonet in its operative and inoperative positions;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bayonet disconnected from its support; and

Figs. l4, l5 and 16 are perspective views of the locking disc, spring washer and pivot pin which secure the bayonet on its support.

In Figs. 1 to 6, the reference numeral I identifies a curved metal plate having slots 2 at its opposite edge portions for receiving straps 3 by which the plate may be supported on the lower leg of a soldier to constitute a leg or shin guard. The curved inner surface of the guard is preferably provided with a lining l of felt, sponge rubber or the like, see Fig, 5, to avoid local spots of high pressure when the guard is strapped firmly to the wearers leg.

A bayonet 5 is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 6 which is secured by welding or by rivets I, see Fig. 5, to the upper central portion of the guard plate I. A coil spring 8 is supported on the bayonet pivot pin 9 and has one end 8a extending over the bayonet 5 and its opposite end 8b extending through a hole in the bracket 6; the spring being so stressed that it tends to rotate the bayonet blade into operative position as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. On reaching its operative position, the bayonet 5 is restrained from reverse movement by a stiff leaf spring I0 which is mounted on the bracket 6 and bowed to bear against the inner surface of the bayonet. This surface extends downwardly, as seen in Fig. 5, to meet the end surface of the bayonet at an edge II which is so spaced from the axis of the pivot pin 9 that it pressed the bowed leaf spring II) substantially flat against the bracket 6 as the bayonet moves into and out of extended position. The spring I0 does not oppose the initial movement of the bayonet into extended position since the bayonet end surface I2 is coaxial with the pivot pin 9 where it merges into the front surface, and does not contact the leaf spring I0. The bayonet is moved into fully open position by the coil spring 8 since the bayonet acquires sufficient momentum to compress the spring I0 before the latter is engaged by the projecting edge II,

The bayonet 5 is normally retained in inoperative position on the guard plate I by a latch pin I3 slidably mounted in a U-shaped bracket I4 secured to the lower center portion of the plate I. The latch member I5 at the inner end of the latch pin is non-circular in cross-section and slides in a correspondingly shaped bore I6 of a bearing plate I! fixed to the inner face of one leg of the U-shaped bracket, and a spring I8 bears against a collar I9 on the latch pin I3 to urge the member I5 into latching position. The forward face I 5' of the member I5 is beveled to permit a forcing of the bayonet 5 into the latch recess without first withdrawing the latch member by knob 20 on the outer end of the latch pin I3. The bayonet preferably terminates somewhat 3 short of the lower edge of the bracket i4 so that the latter shields the bayonet tip,

A soldier having the knee bayonet equipment straps it to his leg, with the bayonet in inoperative position, when he enters a forward zone in which hand-to-hand combat may be expected. The equipment causes no discomfort and in fact is quite like the leather puttees of World War I. In the event of an alarm or an attack, the soldier withdraws the latch pin 13, and the bayonet 5 is rotated into operative position by the spring 8. The bayonet does not interfere with free le movements when in extended position and it provides a very effective additional means of de-' fense, by utilizing a powerful upward thrust of the knee, when the soldier's hands and arms are locked in close combat with an enemy.

In another embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the guard plate straps 3 and padding 4 may be as previously shown but the bayonet 5 is slidably mounted in a protective tube or sheath 2! which is secured to the plate I by rivets 22. The bayonet 5 is secured to and extends upwardly from a box 23 in which the enlarged inner end of a latch plunger 24 is seated and is urged outwardly by a spring 25. The stem of the latch plunger 2d projects through a narrow guide slot 26 which extends along one side of the tube 2| and has enlargements 26' at its ends and at one or more intermediate points to receive the inner enlarged portion 24a of the latch plunger 24. The outer portion 24b of the stem is of smaller diameter and ha a smooth sliding fit in the guide slot 26.

A coiled compression spring 21 is located in the lower end of the tube 2! and tends to force the box 23 and the bayonet 5 upwardly. The bayonet is normally latched in inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 7, by the seating of the enlarged portion 24a of the latch plunger Within the lowermost enlargement of the guide slot 26. On depressing the latch plunger to bring the smaller stem portion 24b within the guide slot 25, the spring 2'! forces the box 23 and bayonet 5' upwardly, and the enlarged stem portion 24a is pressed into the next slot enlargement to latch the bayonet 5' in an intermediate position. Further extension of the bayonet may then be effected by again depressing the latch plunger 2 The bayonet may be Withdrawn to inoperative position by pressing the latch pin 24 inwardly to release the stem portion 24a from the slot enlargement 26' in which it is then seated, and moving the stem portion 24b downwardly to return the bayonet to its initial end position as shown in Fig. 7.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 9-16, the plate 5, slots 2, straps 3 and padding 4 are the same as in the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 8. In the embodiment of Figs. 9-16, the bayonet 5a is pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of the plate 5 on the pivot pin 28 so that it can be rotated to its inoperative position as shown in full lines in Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12, with its point shielded by the guard 29, or rotated to its operative position shown in broken lines in Fig.

'9 where it is held by the mechanism now to be described. The base end of the bayonet is provided with the cylindrical opening 30 which fits the cylindrical middle portion of the pin 28 and with the depressions 3! extending radially therefrom. The locking disc 32 is provided with protuberances 33 which fit into the depressions 3| when the bayonet is in its operative position and in its inoperative position. The locking disc -32 has a square opening which fits the square end 34 of the pivot pin 28 which prevents relative rotation and the square end 35 of the pivot pin 28 is secured in a square opening in the plate I. The spring washer 36 serves to urge the bayonet fia toward the locking disc 32 and to force the protuberances 33 into the depressions 3| and hold the bayonet in its operative and inoperative positions but to permit the bayonet to be turned from one position to the other. i

It is clear from the three embodiments illustrated that within the scope of my invention other means may be devised for securing the bayonet in operative and inoperative positions.

The invention is therefore not limited to the specific constructions herein illustrated and described as various changes may be made in the parts, and in their relative size, shape and location without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A knee bayonet comprising a shin guard plate, means for securing the guard plate to the leg of a wearer, a bayonet, means supporting said bayonet on said guard plate for movement between an inoperative position extending downwardly along the guard plate and an operative position projecting above the guard plate, and latch means opposing inadvertent movement of said bayonet from said operative position.

2. A knee bayonet as recited in claim 1, wherein said supporting means comprises a bracket secured to the upper center portion of said guard plate, and a pivot pin supporting said bayonet upon said bracket.

3. A knee bayonet as recited in claim 2, in combination with a latch normally retaining said bayonet in inoperative position and movable manually to release the same, and spring means for moving said bayonet into operative position upon manual release of said latch.

4. A knee bayonet as recited in claim 3, wherein said spring means comprise a coil spring mounted on said pivot pin with the ends thereof engaging said bayonet and said bracket respectively.

5. A knee bayonet as recited in claim 3, wherein said latch means comprises a bowed leaf spring mounted on said bracket and bearing against said bayonet in the operative position of the latter, the bayonet having a projecting portion constructed and arranged to flatten said bowed leaf spring during initial movement of said bayonet out of operative position.

6. A knee bayonet as recited in claim 1, wherein said supporting meanscomprises a tubular sheath secured to said guard plate, a box slidable within said tubular sheath, said bayonet being secured to and movable with said box.

'7. A knee bayonet as recited in claim 6, wherein said tubular sheath is provided with a longitudinal guide slot having enlargements at the ends thereof; and said latch means comprises a latch plunger having an enlarged head within said box and a stem projecting through said guide slot, spring means within said box and urging said latch plunger outwardly, said plunger stem having an outer smaller diameter portion with a smooth sliding fit in said guide slot and an inner larger diameter portion for seating in an enlargement of the slot to latch said box against movement.

'8. A knee bayonet as recited in claim '7, wherein said guide slotv is provided with a further enlargement between the ends thereof, whereby said bayonet may be latched at an intermediate position of extension upon engagement of said larger diameter portion of the latch plunger stem in said further enlargement.

9. A knee bayonet as recited in claim 7, in combination with a compression spring within said tubular sheath and beneath said box for urging the same upwardly to move the bayonet into operative position.

10. A knee bayonet as defined in claim 1 in which the bayonet is mounted on the shin guard plate for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to said plate and in which the latch means comprises means for releasably locking the bayonet 15 in either its operative position or in its inoperative position.

ALBERT CLEMENS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 35,760 Jenkinson July 1, 1862 833,546 Pierce Oct. 16, 1906 1,504,073 Moore Aug. 5, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 492,849 France Apr. 5, 1919 

